Flexible package with audio tract

ABSTRACT

A flexible container comprising an audio tract. The audio tract is incorporated into the container as the container is made. The audio tract produces an audible sound when a stylus is moved across the surface of the tract. A method of producing a flexible container comprising forming an audio tract on a sheet of flexible packaging material.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the packaging industry, and more particularly to a flexible container comprising an audio tract, as well as a method for making the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The production of sound from manually operated audio tract strips is well known in the prior art. Typically, a recorded audio tract is placed on a strip of material and an audible sound is produced when a fingernail or other stylus is moved against the audio tract. These “talking strips” are useful for education, entertainment and advertising purposes. For example, the audio tracts may be attached to book pages for assisting young children in reading, or the audio strips may be located on greeting cards for the purpose of delivering an audible message to the card recipient.

[0003] Typically, items comprising audio strips are produced by preforming the audio tract and subsequently attaching it to the item or engraving the audio tract into the surface of the item. Depending on the shape and material of the object, the step of attaching or engraving the audio strip onto the object can be difficult and time consuming. Therefore, there is a need for an improved method of incorporating an audio tract into an item.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention provides a flexible container comprising an audio tract, wherein the audio tract is incorporated into the container as the container is formed. The flexible container comprises an enclosure formed of flexible sheet material so as to have a closure for sealing the enclosure. An audio tract is located on the flexible sheet material and the audio tract comprises a series of grooves for producing an audible sound when a stylus is moved across the surface of the grooves.

[0005] Suitable closures include a seam, zipper, snap or slide closure. According to one embodiment, the audio tract is located on the closure. Suitable flexible sheet material includes thermoplastic film such as a polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene film.

[0006] The present invention also relates to a method of producing a flexible container comprising the steps of forming flexible sheet material into an enclosure and sealing the enclosure with at least one closure. An audio tract is formed on the flexible sheet material wherein the audio tract comprises a series of grooves for producing an audible sound when a stylus is moved across the surface of the grooves.

[0007] One suitable method for incorporating the audio tract is embossing the tract onto the flexible sheet material. The audio tract may be formed on the flexible sheet material so that the audio tract is located on the at least one closure. Desirably, the audio tract and closure are produced simultaneously and the method of forming the flexible container is continuous.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the audio tract is formed by delivering a softened thermoplastic polymer to the flexible sheet material. An engraved disc is brought in rolling contact with the flexible sheet material so that the audio tract is embossed into the thermoplastic polymer. Alternatively, the audio tract is formed by applying a curable resin to a first side of the flexible sheet material, and bringing an engraved roller in rolling contact with the flexible sheet material so that the audio tract is embossed into the resin. The resin is cured in order to harden and adhere the audio tract to the flexible sheet material.

[0009] In a further embodiment, a heated engraved disk is brought in rolling contact with the flexible sheet material so that the audio tract is embossed into the flexible sheet material. The audio tract may also be embossed into the flexible sheet material by bringing an embossing die into contact with the flexible sheet material. The embossing die may be used to simultaneously form the audio tract and the closure when the audio tract is part of the closure.

[0010] Other objects, features, and advantages to this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, claims, and drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011]FIGS. 1a-1 d are plan views of flexible containers made in accordance with an embodiment of this invention.

[0012]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a flexible container made in accordance with another embodiment of this invention.

[0013]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a flexible container made in accordance with an alternative embodiment of this invention.

[0014]FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of an apparatus for applying an audio tract in accordance with the invention.

[0015]FIG. 5 is a side view of an alternative apparatus for applying an audio tract in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1a-1 d, shown is a flexible container or pouch 10 comprising an enclosure 11 having a first side 12 and a second side 14. The enclosure 11 is formed of flexible sheet material and comprises at least one closure 16. An audio tract 18 is located on the flexible sheet material and produces an audible sound when a stylus is moved across the audio tract. As indicated, the enclosure 11 may comprise additional closures 16 which seal the edges of the enclosure about the periphery of the enclosure. The audio tract may be located on or adjacent the at least one closure 16 or on or adjacent one or more of the additional closures.

[0017] The enclosure 11 may be formed from any flexible sheet material including, but not limited to thermoplastic material such as polyesters, polyethylenes, and polypropylene, cellophanes, paper, foil and combinations thereof. Desirably, the flexible sheet material is heat-sealable.

[0018] The audio tract 18 comprises a series of sound grooves whereby an audible sound is heard when a stylus is moved across the surface of the grooves down the length of the audio tract. The audio tract 18 may be designed to produce any type of registered or unregistered audible sound such as, phrases, musical notes, or animal sounds, for example. Preferably, the audible sound is in the form of a musical or spoken message which can be used for advertising purposes including sweepstakes, contests, collector's items, or novelties.

[0019] Various types of closures 16 may be utilized in the flexible container 10 of the present invention. Examples of suitable closures include, but are not limited to a seam, zipper, snap or slide closure, lap seal or fin seal. Preferably, the closure 16 is a seam.

[0020] In the preferred embodiment, the closure 16 comprising the audio tract 18 is located on the top, side or bottom of the enclosure 11 as illustrated in FIGS. 1a-1 d. However, this closure 16 may be located anywhere on the flexible container enclosure 11.

[0021] The audio tract 18 may be embossed on the flexible sheet material so that the tract forms an integral part of the closure 16. For example, the audio tract 18 may be embossed into one side of the closure 16. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the audio tract 18 may be embossed into a zipper as the zipper is attached to the enclosure 11. If the audio tract 18 is formed on a zipper closure 16, the audio tract can be placed adjacent the zipper slider 19 so that when the slider is moved to open the container the slider engages the audio tract and acts as a stylus to generate sound from the audio tract. The slider 19 can include a protrusion which acts as a stylus.

[0022] Another embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein a film of pre-embossed audio tract 18 is attached to the outside of the flexible container 10. A form, fill and seal machine may be used to seal the audio tract 18 to the top closure 16 and bottom closure 16.

[0023] The flexible container 10 can be formed in a variety of shapes or configurations. For example, the container 10 my comprise a single pouch, multiple pouches, or side or bottom gusset. Preferably, the flexible container 10 is substantially rectangular in shape.

[0024] The present invention also relates to a method of producing a flexible container 10 including an audio tract 18. As shown in FIG. 4, the audio tract 18 is formed on flexible sheet material 20 as the container 10 is being produced. The flexible sheet material 20 is formed into an enclosure 11 and the enclosure is sealed with at least one closure 16. An audio tract 18 is formed on the flexible sheet material 20, wherein the audio tract comprises a series of grooves for producing an audible sound when a stylus is moved across the surface of the grooves. Preferably, the method of producing the flexible container is continuous.

[0025] Further, the audio tract 18 may be formed on the flexible sheet material 20 so that the audio tract is located on the at least one closure 16. The enclosure 11 may be formed to have a top, a side and a bottom wherein the closure 16 comprising the audio tract 18 is located on the top, side or bottom of the enclosure.

[0026] The enclosure 11 may be sealed with any type of closure 16 including but not limited to a seam, zipper, snap or slide closure, lap seal or fin seal.

[0027] A standard “Form, Fill and Seal” (f/f/s) machine is typically used to produce the flexible container 10. However, it is not necessary that the filling step and sealing step be performed at the same time as the forming operation. The audio tract 18 is formed on the top edge of the flexible container 10 as produced on a horizontal f/f/s machine. This is the parallel to the web direction of the flexible sheet material 20 from which the container 10 is formed.

[0028] In a standard horizontal f/f/s machine (not illustrated), a sheet of flexible sheet material 20 from a roll is fed to a plow assembly which folds the sheet in half. A plurality of closures 16 are formed in the flexible sheet material 20 wherein the closures are spaced apart and are perpendicular to the fold. The folded edge may function as the closure 16 at the bottom edge of the enclosure 11, or if desired, a seam may be formed along the folded edge. The flexible sheet material 20 is cut to form a plurality of enclosures 11 comprising at least two layers, an open top edge, two sealed side edges and a bottom folded or sealed edge. The enclosure 11 is filled and then a closure 16 is formed on the flexible sheet material 20. Preferably, the audio tract 18 is located on a closure 16 at the top edge, side edge or bottom of the enclosure 11.

[0029] In a standard vertical f/f/s machine, flexible sheet material 20 from a roll is fed through a series of rollers. A bag-forming collar receives the sheet from the rollers and changes the sheet travel from a flat plane and shapes it around a bag forming tube. As the flexible sheet material 20 moves down around the tube, the overlapped edges of the sheet are sealed with a vertical seal bar, thereby forming the flexible sheet material into a tube. The length of the flexible container 10 will be equal to the extent of the flexible sheet material 20 hanging down from the bottom of the tube. A filling tube is used to fill the container 10. A cross seal consisting of a front and rear cross-sealing jaw seals the container 10. Each cross sealing jaw comprises a top sealing section and a bottom sealing section with a container cutoff device in between. The top sealing section seals the bottom of an empty container 10 suspended down from the forming tube, and the bottom portion seals the top of a filled container 10. The cutoff device, which can be a knife or a hot wire, operates during the jaw closing/sealing operation. Thus, when the jaws open, the filled container 10 is released from the machine.

[0030] The audio strip 18 is formed or embossed onto the flexible packaging material 20 prior to the formation of the closure 16, or the audio tract is embossed on or beside the closure after the closure is formed. Alternatively, the audio tract 18 and closure 16 are formed simultaneously so that the audio tract is part of the closure.

[0031] Any method of embossing the audio tract 18 onto the flexible sheet material 20 may be employed. The audio tract 18 may be embossed into any width flexible sheet material 20 or coating on the material, using heat and/or pressure. The following are possible methods of embossing the audio tract 18, but do not constitute all possibilities.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4, the audio tract 18 can be engraved into the edge of the disk or a previously engraved audio tract may be attached to the edge of a disk to produce an engraved disk 21. The engraved disk 21 may be any size, and is preferably about 3.0 inches in diameter and less than about 1.0 inch wide.

[0033] In one embodiment, the audio tract 18 is formed from a thermoplastic polymer 22 that is melted and delivered as a small bead or thin layer to the area of flexible sheet material 20 where the audio tract 18 will be formed. Examples of suitable thermoplastic polymers include, but are not limited to polyolefin, nylon, vinyl, EVA copolymers, SBR-styrene butadiene block copolymers, and wax. While the polymer bead or layer is still relatively soft, the engraved disk 21, which is in rolling contact with the flexible sheet material 20, embosses the audio tract 18 into the thermoplastic material 22. The embossment of the audio tract 18 may also function to simultaneously form the container closure 16. Alternatively, a separate strip of material is attached to the flexible sheet material 20 and the strip is embossed with the audio tract 18. The engraved disk 21 is maintained in register to the flexible sheet material 20 so that the audio tract 18 is always in the proper position on the finished container 10.

[0034] If desired, a smooth disk 24 is brought in rolling contact with the opposite side of the flexible sheet material 20, wherein the engraved disk 21 presses against the smooth disk thereby allowing sufficient pressure to emboss the audio tract 18. The smoother disk 24 may be any size, and is preferably about 3.0 inches in diameter and less than about 1.0 inch wide.

[0035] Alternatively, a heated engraved disk 21 similar to that described above can emboss the audio tract 18 directly into the flexible sheet material 20 without the use of the melted thermoplastic polymer 22. In another embodiment, the flexible sheet material 20 is heated and the audio tract 18 is embossed with a heated or unheated engraved disk 21.

[0036] Furthermore, it is possible to form the audio tract 18 on the packaging material 20 by utilizing a curing process as opposed to thermal embossing. This process is illustrated in FIG. 5. One example of this technique is to coat a curable resin 26 on one side of the flexible sheet material 20. The curable resin 26 may be applied through the use of rollers 28. An engraved roller or drum 30, the surface of which is engraved with the audio tract 18 is brought into rolling contact with the flexible sheet material 20 to emboss the audio tract into the uncured resin coating 26. The resin coating 26 is then cured with heat or ultraviolet radiation from a heat source or ultraviolet radiation source 31. The resin coating 26 may be cured while it is in contact with the engraved roller or drum 30. If the resin coating 26 is cured with ultraviolet radiation, the radiation may be directed through the flexible sheet material 20 while the coating is being engraved. If desired, a smoother roller or drum (not shown) is brought into rolling contact with the opposite side of the flexible sheet material 20, so that the engraved roller 30 presses against the smoother roller thereby providing sufficient pressure to emboss the audio tract 18. Upon removal of the flexible sheet material 20, the cured pattern of the audio tract 18 is adhered to the flexible sheet material with the audio tract surface exposed.

[0037] In another embodiment (not illustrated), a flat embossing die is used instead of a circular engraved disk. The embossing die is brought into contact with the flexible sheet material and the audio tract is embossed through a reciprocating motion of two die bars. The embossing die may be used to form the audio tract at the same time as the container closure wherein the audio tract is an integral part of the closure.

[0038] It is also possible to print the audio tract onto the packaging material via a wax printer.

[0039] The above-described methods may further be used to emboss the audio tract 18 into a separate strip of material, followed by attaching the strip to the packaging material 20 with an adhesive as the container 10 is formed.

[0040] The audio tract 10 itself may be produced by several techniques. One example is generating and recording the desired sound as an audio wave file on a computer. The wave file can then be manipulated to produce the desired sound effect. It can then be transposed into a machine language used by an appropriate engraving machine. The audio tract is then engraved into the surface of a plate, cylinder, or the edge of a disk. The plate, cylinder, or disk may become the actual embossing device, or it may be replicated into another surface by electroforming or casting. The replicated surface may then be configured as the embossing device, or be used in turn to make the actual embossing device.

[0041] It should be understood that the foregoing relates to particular embodiments of the present invention, and that numerous changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. 

What we claim:
 1. A flexible container comprising: an enclosure formed of flexible sheet material; a closure for sealing the enclosure; and an audio tract on the flexible sheet material comprising a series of grooves for producing an audible sound when a stylus is moved across the surface of the grooves.
 2. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein the audio tract is located on or adjacent the closure.
 3. The flexible container of claim 2, wherein the closure is a seam, zipper, snap closure, slide closure, lap seal or fin seal.
 4. The flexible container of claim 3, wherein the closure is a seam.
 5. The flexible container of claim 2, wherein the enclosure has a top, a side and a bottom and the closure is located on the top, side or bottom of the enclosure.
 6. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein the flexible sheet material is a thermoplastic film.
 7. The flexible container of claim 6, wherein the flexible sheet material is a polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene film.
 8. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein the audible sound is in the form of musical notes or spoken words.
 9. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein the audio tract is incorporated into the flexible sheet material as the enclosure is formed.
 10. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein the closure is a zipper including a zipper slider for opening and closing the zipper and a stylus connected to the zipper slider such that the stylus moves across the audio tract when the zipper slider is moved.
 11. A method of producing a flexible container comprising: forming flexible sheet material into an enclosure; sealing the enclosure with at least one closure; and forming an audio tract on the flexible sheet material, the audio tract comprising a series of grooves for producing an audible sound when a stylus is moved across the surface of the grooves.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of forming the audio tract comprises embossing the audio tract onto the flexible sheet material.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio tract is formed on the flexible sheet material so that the audio tract is located on the at least one closure.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the enclosure has a top, a side and a bottom and the at least one closure is located on the top, side or bottom of the enclosure.
 15. The method claim 13, wherein the at least one closure is a seam, zipper, snap closure, slide closure, lap seal, or fin seal.
 16. The method claim 13, wherein the at least one closure is a seam.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the audio tract and seam are formed simultaneously, and the audio tract is part of the seam.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the flexible sheet material is a thermoplastic film.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the flexible sheet material is a polyester, polyethylene or polypropylene film.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein the method is continuous.
 21. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio tract is formed by: applying a softened thermoplastic polymer to the flexible sheet material; and embossing the audio tract into the thermoplastic polymer with an engraved disc.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the thermoplastic resin is polyolefin, nylon, vinyl, EVA copolymer, styrene butadiene block copolymer, or wax.
 23. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio tract is formed by: applying a curable resin to a first side of the flexible sheet material; embossing the audio tract into the resin with an engraved roller; and curing the resin so that the audio tract is adhered to the packaging material.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the resin is cured while it is in contact with the engraved roller.
 25. The method of claim 23, wherein the resin is cured with ultraviolet radiation.
 26. The method of claim 12, wherein the embossing step comprises bringing a heated engraved disk into rolling contact with the flexible sheet material.
 27. The method of claim 12, wherein the embossing step comprises bringing an embossing die into contact with the flexible sheet material.
 28. The method of claim 27, the embossing die simultaneously forms the audio tract and closure, and wherein the audio tract is part of the closure.
 29. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of forming the enclosure comprises: forming the flexible sheet material into a flexible pouch comprising at least two layers, a top edge, two side edges, and a bottom edge; and forming a first closure at the bottom edge, a second closure at the first side edge, and a third closure at the second side edge.
 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising forming a fourth closure at the top edge.
 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the audio tract is formed on the flexible sheet material so that the audio tract is located on the first, second, third or fourth closure.
 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the closure comprising the audio tract is a seam, zipper, snap closure, slide closure, lap seal or fin seal.
 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the audio tract and the closure are formed simultaneously, and the audio tract is part of the closure.
 34. The method of claim 29, further comprising folding the sheet of flexible material to form a bottom folded edge and the at least two layers.
 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first closure is formed by the bottom folded edge.
 36. The method of claim 34, further comprising: prior to forming the structure, forming the second and third closure on the flexible material wherein the closures are spaced apart and are perpendicular to the bottom folded edge.
 37. The method of claim 29, wherein the audio tract is formed by: applying a softened thermoplastic polymer to the flexible sheet material; and embossing the audio tract into the thermoplastic polymer with an engraved disc.
 38. The method of claim 29, wherein the audio tract is formed by: applying a curable resin to a first side of the flexible sheet material; embossing the audio tract into the resin with an engraved roller; and curing the resin so that the audio tract is adhered to the packaging material.
 39. The method of claim 29, wherein the audio tract is formed by embossing the audio tract into the flexible sheet material with a heated engraved disk.
 40. The method of claim 29, wherein the audio tract is formed by bringing an embossing die into contact with the flexible sheet material wherein the audio tract is embossed into the flexible sheet material.
 41. The method of claim 40, the embossing die simultaneously forms the audio tract and closure, and wherein the audio tract is part of the closure. 